The trenches are within one hundred and…

October 1781 CE

The trenches are within one hundred and fifty yards (one hundred and forty meters) of redoubts No. 9 and No. 10 by October 14.

Washington orders that all guns within range begin blasting the redoubts to weaken them for an evening assault.

Washington plans to use the cover of a moonless night to gain the element of surprise.

To reinforce the darkness, he adds silence, ordering that no soldier should load his musket until reaching the fortifications.

Redoubt 10 is near the river and holds only seventy men, while redoubt 9 is a quarter of a mile inland, and is held by one hundred and twenty British and Germans.

Both redoubts are heavily fortified with rows of abatis surrounding them, along with muddy ditches that surround the redoubts at about twenty-five yards (twenty-three meters).

Washington devises a plan in which the French will launch a diversionary attack on the Fusiliers redoubt, then a half an hour later, the French will assault redoubt 9 and the Americans redoubt 10.

Redoubt 9 will be assaulted by four hundred French regular soldiers under the command of the German Lieutenant Colonel Wilhelm von Zweibrücken and redoubt 10 will be assaulted by four hundred light infantry troops under the command of Alexander Hamilton.

There is briefly a dispute as to who should lead the attack on Redoubt No. 10.

Lafayette names his aide, Jean-Joseph Sourbader de Gimat, who commands a battalion of Continental light infantry.

However, Hamilton protests, saying that he is the senior officer.

Washington concurs with Hamilton and gives him command of the attack.

At 6:30 pm, gunfire announces the diversionary attack on the Fusiliers redoubt.

At other places in the line, movements are made as if preparing for an assault on Yorktown itself, which cause the British to panic.

With bayonets fixed, the Americans march towards Redoubt No. 10.

Hamilton sensds Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens around to the rear of the redoubt to prevent the British from escaping.

The Americans reach the redoubt and begin chopping through the British wooden defenses with their axes.

A British sentry calls a challenge, then fires at the Americans.

The Americans respond by charging with their bayonets towards the redoubt.

They hack through the abatis, cross a ditch and climb the parapet into the redoubt.

The Americans force their way into the redoubt falling into giant shell holes from the bombardment of the redoubts.

The British fire is heavy, but the Americans overwhelmed them.

The British throw hand grenades at the Americans with little effect.

Men in the trench stand on the shoulders of their comrades to climb into the redoubt.

The bayonet fight clears the British out of the redoubt and almost the entire garrison is captured, including the commander of the redoubt, Major Campbell.

In the assault, the Americans lose nine dead and twenty-five wounded.

The French assault begins at the same time, but they are halted by the abatis, which is undamaged by the artillery fire.

The French begin to hack at the abatis and a Hessian sentry comes out and asks who is there.

When there is no response, the sentry opens fire as do other Hessians on the parapet.

The French soldiers fire back, then charge the redoubt.

The Germans charge the Frenchmen climbing over the walls but the French fire a volley, driving them back.

The Hessians now take a defensive position behind some barrels but throw down their arms and surrender when the French prepare a bayonet charge.

With the capture of redoubts 9 and 10, Washington is able to have his artillery shell the town from three directions and the allies move some of their artillery into the redoubts.